Friendly rivalry

So I just started playing, and my friends have a lot more experience than I do. Which is fine, considering they got me the models so I would play with them. After a few games and a lot of shit talking I've decided to step it up a bit, so any help you guys can give is much appreciated. My main opponent is blood angels. I'm not looking to steam roll him or anything, but I wouldn't mind shutting him up a bit. He runs with stromravens, so lots of guns, and he gets to me quickly. Some sanguinary guard, terminators, death company and very similar stuff. Lots of feel no pain, power weapons and 2+ saves. He's been rocking me.

My models include (and at this point i decided I like the game so I'll buy stuff if need be)

The hive guard can get the stormraven, but if they don't i just rofled, and the lack of invul against the power weapons is ball breaking, not too mention the feel no pain. I was considering a zilla army against him, but either way considering buying a tervigon or a trygon to start. All and all any feedback from the community would be much appreciated. thank you.

Your friends bought you the models? wow. Lucky you unfortunatly they havnt got you the greatest list in the world. It looks like they did what most non nid players do and got a grab bag list of models that just kinda worked. This is never a good idea.

Theres a couple of things we also need to know... how many points are you playing? It says 1000 in the post, but given your opponents list that sounds like its at the 1000 point mark without anything else at all! Terminators, sanguinary guard and death company will come in to around 550 points all on their lonesomes. A Storm raven will set him back at LEAST 200 more points, probably more. All told the things you meantioned are going to be about 750-800 points depending on upgrades. bearing in mind you then need the points for an HQ, as-well as another troops choice.... well if hes running that, then your not playing 1000 points thats for sure.

So knowing the points level would help, as would a copy of the army list. What youve given us is good, but very vague.

Lastly i do recogmend going over the rules a little. A swarmlord DOESNT have an invulnerable save till it gets to CC. Storm ravens will still cause damage that you cant stop. And i cant quite tell if you're aware, but a regular tyrant can take tyrant guard too, its just not a good idea with wings.

Really, you need to lose the termaguants, they dont fit with the list. Get yourself another 20 hormgaunts with toxin sacs, and 3 more hive guard. Depending on points, trygons could be very helpful. Its hard to advise anything else without knowing the points for sure, and the opponents list. But those hormaguants and hive guard are always going to be a good place to start, no matter what.

Thanks for the quick response and sorry for the vagueness. When we play together we do about 1000 points. In that case his list is something like
stormraven death company /w dreadnaught sanguinary I think his hq is a librarian.

Sometimes we do a game where its me and a buddy vs him in a 2000 point where is his is something like 2 storm ravens 2 sanguinary death company w/ dreadnaught other dreadnaught Dante and maybe a librarian. I can't remember exactly but pretty similar to that. He usually plays with less more powerful models.

Primarily I'd like to focus on a 1000 point list that can at least hold out against his and just build on it from there for higher points later on. I did realize the tyrant guard and wings was poor, but i did not noticed the invul save on swarmlord was only in cc, so thanks for pointing that out. I'm using the termagaunts cause, well, i don't have much else currently, but I'm willing to work on it for sure.

Thanks for the help. Feel free to suggest models I don't have. I can always pick some up later on.

Thats looking better on the list front already I'd advise just double checking before the game. Ive seen far too many new players made despondant because opponents took a list that was over on points, usually by mistake, but rarley people are just that desperate to win. It doesnt hurt to check is the message

Well, i would advise grabbing 3 more hive guard and 20 more toxin sac hormaguants. Honestly, i always take at least 6 hive guard and if im not running tervigon spam then those 2 blocks of 20 toxin sac hormaguants are nearly always a feature. Granted thats just my playstyle, but they're very good units no matter what.

From there, the tyrant you have will do nicley. Id also look to get a trygon. The model rocks, the rules are awsome... in short, they're amazing that should leave a few points left over, so go nuts. If you like warriors, then take them, or you could grab some long range shooting (never a bad thing) and make yourself a tyrannofex or a harpy. However models dont excist for those as of yet, so youd have to convert something. Its not the hardest thing in the world, and theres some awsome stuff in the main section, but a lot of new players dont want to do something like that when they start out. Heck I started a new army before I even thought about conversions, so i wouldnt blame you! If you dont want to convert but fancy some shooting, then you could do worse than a carnifex with TL devourers and a HVC.

BA are a very powerful army, and a tough nut to crack. Dont be despondant if it takes you a while to get the better of them, to learn the game against the angels isnt something I evny you for. However im sure with a good list, and some tactics you'll be able to take them down. Good luck!